Half of Jeff schools to open Oct. 3

Firming up its tentative plans, the Jefferson Parish public school system said Friday that it will reopen more than half its 87 campuses -- and possibly all but seven of them -- to students on Oct. 3.

The announcement by Superintendent Diane Roussel fulfilled some of the rosiest projections by school officials who had surveyed damage in the early days after Hurricane Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29.